Letting Go
by JamesLuver
Summary: It's both the proudest and most difficult day of John Bates' life.


**A/N:** Happy Birthday, APA! Hope you have had a fantastic day so far, and thank you so much for all the hard work you do for our corner of the fandom!

When asked, APA said she would like to see something with Baby Bates. I had already filed away a prompt from OTP Prompts into the "maybe I'll write this someday" corner. I decided to dust it off and see where it took me. I know your favourite is Anna, and this is John-centric, but I hope you enjoy it anyway, Kristen! :)

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own _Downton Abbey_.

* * *

 _Letting Go_

John stood at the bottom of the staircase, leaning heavily on his cane. With his spare hand, he fumbled for his battered old pocket watch. Time had made the glass cloudy, and his own failing eyesight did little to help matters, but he stubbornly refused to change the watch. It was one of the gifts that Anna had given him, and he still tried to keep it as shiny as he could, though it had rusted a little and had picked up scuffs over the years. He smoothed his thumb over the inscription of their initials as he strained his eyes to pick up the time. Already after ten. If they kept this up they were going to be late.

"Elizabeth," he called upstairs. "Love, are you nearly ready? We don't want to be late."

"I thought you'd like it if we were late," came the teasing reply.

"I'm not sure how kindly Theodore will take to that."

"Was Mum late for you?"

"Mum was right on time, I'm thankful to say. I'm not sure what I would have done if she hadn't been."

He heard Lizzie laugh again. "Don't worry, I'm coming. Mum's just finished fixing my veil."

There was silence for a few minutes while the final preparations were made. John remained at the foot of the stairs, his heart palpitating like a little bird in his chest. On a Friday afternoon many years ago, his heart had beaten this fast at the thought of Anna entering the registrar office as a Smith and leaving it a Bates. Now it beat hard for a different reason entirely. This time, a Bates would be entering the church and leaving an Elliott. His little girl would no longer be his. He'd spent the last twenty years wondering if he would ever live to see this day, and now that he had a part of him wished he hadn't. To give away his little girl, the most precious thing in the world, it was almost too much to bear thinking about. It wasn't that he disliked Theo; in fact, Theo was one of the most mature, thoughtful young men that he had ever come across. But he had been Lizzie's protector all her life, even in his frailer years, and to know that he wasn't needed in the same way any more stung a little. Anna would laugh if she could read his thoughts. Or at least she would tomorrow. He was quite certain that she would also mourn the loss of their darling baby today.

As if she knew that he was thinking about her, Anna appeared at the top of the stairs. She looked beautiful in her Sunday best, no less beautiful than she had on their own wedding day some twenty six years ago. She gave him a wobbly smile.

"Here comes the bride," she said, descending the stairs. He took her hand when she reached the bottom, but his attention was on the space that she had just vacated.

There she was in front of him. His daughter. A lump rose in his throat, making it very difficult to swallow. Tears blurred his vision, but the image of her was burned to his memory. Whatever the rest of his life had planned, he would never forget this moment.

His Lizzie looked beautiful, dressed in an intricate white gown. It was a simple thing, made by her mother's careful, loving hands in times of hardship with the war raging on around them, but she looked perfect.

"How do I look, Dad?" she asked. He felt Anna squeeze his hand as he tried to find the words.

"Perfect," he choked. "So perfect, my darling."

With a trembling smile of her own, Lizzie began to descend the stairs too, coming to a rest in front of them.

"This is it," she whispered.

How had the last twenty years passed in the blink of an eye? Wordlessly, John reached out for his pride and joy. She tucked herself against his side, being careful of her dress, burying her head against his chest. Anna shook her head, tears beginning to shimmer in her own eyes, and she mirrored their daughter's action, holding him from his weaker right side. John awkwardly wrapped an arm around each of the women in his life and turned his gaze to the ceiling, trying to desperately control his own emotions. This was it.

The last moment for the Bates family to be together as Bateses.

* * *

 _The sounds of agony had stopped moments before, and were now replaced by hale, hearty wails. On the landing outside their bedroom, John slumped against the wall, resting his head against his forearms as he relaxed for the first time in over fourteen hours. It was nearing six thirty in the morning, and even though he hadn't slept all night, he had never felt more alert. All he wanted now was to be reunited with his wife and his new-born child. His child. Christ, even now, when his child had finally entered the world, he could scarcely believe that it was truly real._

 _The door to the bedroom creaked open, and he stood up straight at once, pushing his hair from his forehead. Doctor Clarkson stood in the doorway, his shirtsleeves pushed up to his elbows, his hair plastered to his head with sweat, but a wide grin on his face. He stepped forward, hand outstretched._

" _Congratulations, Mr. Bates," he said. "Mother and child are healthy."_

 _John took the proffered hand and shook it firmly, unable to stop his own smile. "Thank you, Doctor. Can I…?"_

 _Doctor Clarkson laughed. "You certainly can, Mr. Bates. Give the nurse a moment to vacate the room and then it's all yours. We'll be back later on in the afternoon just to make sure that everything is still going smoothly, but there are no complications that I can see."_

 _At that moment the door opened again, and the nurse appeared carrying the soiled sheets. John winced at the sight of the blood and the stench of them. The nurse smiled at him before carrying on downstairs._

" _Do you mind if I…?"_

 _The doctor laughed again. "Yes, Mr. Bates, I think we can find our own way out."_

 _Shaking his hand firmly once more, John limped into the room as fast as he could. He stopped short near the doorway, overcome by the sight before him. Anna, holding their baby in her arms. He needed to commit this moment to memory._

 _She looked up at him too soon—her intense focus had been on their child, and it took his breath away—but the way she beamed at him was unmatched by anything else he'd ever seen before. She was radiant._

" _Come here, Mr. Bates," she whispered._

 _As if in a trance, he moved over to the bed. His heart palpitated as if he had run a mile, and he could barely swallow past the lump in his throat. Warm tears were threatening at the back of his eyes. He blinked them away. Nothing should mar the first perfect look he had at his baby. Sinking onto the bed beside his wife, he gazed greedily at the little bundle in her arms. The face was just visible, pink and smooth, a tiny button nose and little eyes and a beautiful rosebud mouth, whose lips twitched in dream._

" _Christ, Anna," he said hoarsely. He reached out a trembling hand to touch the soft blanket wrapped around it._

 _Anna's own voice shook when she said, "Say hello to your daughter, John."_

 _A daughter. He had a daughter. Now he did let the tears fall, shaking his head in disbelief. Even with Anna's pregnancy, seeing the changes in her body himself, feeling the swell of their little girl growing beneath his hand, he had never believed that it would quite come true, that it was just a perfect dream that he would wake up from at any moment. But this cemented it. His girl was here to stay._

" _I love you so much," he told Anna fiercely, the sudden wave of emotion crashing through him overwhelming. He kissed her hard, trying to pour everything he couldn't say into that one moment. Her mouth moved desperately against his. Somehow, he believed she knew what he was trying to say._

 _They broke apart a few moments later, unable to ignore their daughter for any longer than that. John shook his head as his hand slipped underneath the warm weight of her to support Anna's hand._

" _She's tiny," he said wondrously._

 _Anna gave a tired laugh. "Believe me, she didn't feel tiny twenty minutes ago."_

 _John snorted, moving to wrap his spare arm around her shoulder and bring her closer. His own tightknit family._

" _You can hold her," Anna offered._

" _In a minute. I just want to savour looking at you with her in your arms for a little longer. You're both perfect."_

 _She beamed at him, before returning her attention to their little girl. The baby yawned widely, little blue eyes flickering. When they opened, they focused straight on him, unblinking, bright and interested._

 _Anna giggled. "She knows her daddy."_

 _John reached out, slightly embarrassed by how much his hand was shaking as he offered his baby girl his index finger. She grabbed onto it at once, the pressure light, exploring it with clumsy touches. He swallowed another lump in his throat._

" _We ought to name her," he said. "She can't be Baby Bates forever."_

" _It's a sweet name," said Anna, "but you're right. Are we still decided?"_

" _Elizabeth," John whispered, making it official. "Elizabeth Anna Bates."_

 _Anna rolled her eyes affectionately at the middle name that he had insisted on, a tribute to the amazing woman who had changed his life so completely the day the milk train brought him to Downton, but she didn't fight it._

" _Elizabeth Anna Bates," she echoed. "It suits her."_

 _It did. She had the look of a Bates about her; round and stocky, dark fuzz on her head. She had the shape of Anna's eyes and the little button snub of a nose, but even he couldn't deny that she looked like a Bates._

" _Hold her," Anna said quietly. "I want to see you with her too."_

 _John took a deep breath, nodding. His stomach fluttered with wild anticipation, and they giggled shyly as they navigated trading places for the first time in their lives. John leaned forward and kissed Anna's forehead as the task was accomplished, and she settled herself against his side, her head in the crook of his shoulder, peering down at the bundle in his arms._

" _This is all I've ever dreamt of seeing," she sighed. "You holding our baby in your arms. I'll never forget this moment."_

" _I'm not going to either," he said. Elizabeth was a warm, tiny weight in his arms, so utterly perfect. He drew her closer to his chest, silently vowing to sacrifice everything he had to make her life the best he could make it. She would never want for anything, not as long as he was around to provide for her. She had been a long time coming, their very own miracle, but it had only given time for all the love he and Anna had to grow, to spill out and encompass everything._

" _She'll want feeding soon," Anna murmured tiredly._

" _Do you want her now?"_

" _No, not yet. Hold her five minutes. You've been waiting for this moment just as long as I have. I don't want to rob you of your chance to relish this moment."_

" _My darling, you could never rob me of anything. You've made my life richer than I had any hope for it to be."_

 _She beamed at him. One of her hands pressed against his under the warm weight of their daughter. The other reached out to caress the little cherub cheek. Elizabeth twitched her nose, still staring unblinkingly up._

" _She's going to be a daddy's girl all right," said Anna. "I think we'd better get started on the next one just as soon as we can so that I don't feel left out."_

" _Elizabeth is going to worship the ground you walk on," said John. "You're her mother. You brought her into this world, kept her safe. You're her namesake. Still," now his tone was teasing, "I won't say that I don't like the idea of adding to our brood. We'll get our houseful. But first, let's shower our love on this little mite, eh?"_

" _All our love," Anna murmured. Elizabeth gave a little whimpery cry. "She's hungry now. I should feed her."_

 _John watched, entranced, as she unlaced her gown and shrugged it off, exposing a breast. He watched as Elizabeth latched onto the nipple and began to suckle with great enthusiasm. He put his arm around her shoulder, peering down at the image before him. Madonna and child could not have been more beautiful than this. Anna offered him another tired grin, her head lolling against his chin, and they remained connected in that way while their daughter took her fill. The little Bates family, expanded by one. What a beautiful sight it was._

* * *

They'd hired a car for the wedding so that Lizzie didn't have to walk through the town. It was waiting outside the hotel when they emerged. Many of the guests had wanted to see Lizzie off on her next greatest adventure, and they milled around outside the entrance for a glimpse of the blooming bride. Business had certainly slowed in the years of war, with only old couples or frightened young families fleeing the bombings in the capital. A few pregnant women and women with young children had been evacuated to the countryside, and Anna was one of the villagers who had extended her hand. Even after all these years, her capacity for kindness still amazed John.

"You look a fine picture," one of the young mothers, Mrs. Haslop, said as she cradled her youngest boy on her hip. "I hope you've many joys to come."

Lizzie smiled, though John noticed the sadness in the lines around her mouth. The honeymoon was to be a very quick affair—Theo would be shipped back off to active service the following week. Anna had faith that he would return unharmed once it was all over, but they had both lived through enough hardships to know that things didn't always turn out how they should. He prayed their daughter had better luck than they had had in their married life.

"We should get going," Anna said softly. "We don't want to leave Theo sweating."

Lizzie giggled. "He'll be pacing a hole in front of the altar."

"It's a nerve-wracking time," said John. "Even at my age I was nervous as a boy waiting for your mother."

"And so handsome," Anna cooed. "All dressed in your Sunday best."

"Hardly," he grumbled. "You put me to shame."

Lizzie rolled her eyes—she had heard this argument several times during her life. She always sided with her mother. John couldn't help but smile. He'd got his wish. Two girls to boss him and hen him. The image of his wife.

"Right, let's get in the car," he said to put a stop to it before Anna could gain the upper hand. "Watch your dress."

He slid in first, scooting across the seat as far as he could to make room for his daughter. Anna gathered her train and helped to fold it into the car before clambering in herself. It was a squash, his wife having to angle her body to the side so that her knees didn't collide with theirs. Lizzie slipped her hand into his and reached across for Anna's. John squeezed it tight, remembering suddenly what it had felt like in his for the very first time. Tears threatened unbidden again. He blinked them quickly away, not wanting the girls to see him. He turned his attention to the window instead, watched the scenery crawl by as they made the short journey to church. Anna's hand tentatively touched his knee, the left one. He managed a smile.

So much time had passed since their wedding day. Time continued to march on, had taken what remained of his youth, and was now taking his baby girl.

Time stopped for no one.

* * *

 _It had been an exhausting day._

 _John sighed wearily as he lowered himself with great difficulty into his favourite chair. His knee was throbbing, and his temples pounded. There had been an almighty ruckus in the kitchen tonight, with Mrs. Patmore almost screaming bloody murder at the unfortunate kitchenhand who had spilled the first course all over the floor before it could be taken up to the servery by Andy. The poor girl had been in floods of tears and Mrs. Patmore's black mood had continued for the rest of the evening. It was a relief to escape into the night. He tugged at his tie, loosening the tight knot and undoing the uncomfortable starched collar. He could finally breathe easily. Setting his head back against the padded back of the chair, he allowed his eyes to drift closed._

" _Goodness me, John, you gave me the fright of my life!"_

 _At the sound of his wife's voice, John forced his eyes to open once more. Shifting his head, he found Anna by the arch to the living room, a hand clutched to her heart._

" _You could have shouted to let me know you were home," she said reproachfully. "You almost gave me a heart attack, sitting there in the dark."_

" _Sorry, my darling," he apologised, chastened. "I thought you might have heard me."_

" _No, I was upstairs. Lizzie is fussing."_

 _At the mention of his daughter's name, John brightened. "She's not asleep yet?"_

" _No," Anna confirmed. "I've been trying to get her down all night but she just won't co-operate. God knows what she'll be like in the morning."_

" _You might have an easy time of it for once," he offered. But the fatigue had melted away, and he sounded over-eager even to his own ears when he said, "Shall I have a go?"_

" _Oh, John, you don't have to do that. You've only just walked in the door yourself. And you look shattered."_

" _Keep complimenting me like that and I'll be open to anything you say," he joked, before sobering. "I want to, Anna. Truly. I don't get to spend nearly enough time with her, being up at Downton all day."_

 _Anna's eyes softened at that. "You're right. Come on. She's waiting upstairs."_

 _John pushed himself to his feet, failing to bite back a groan as his knee burned. His wife's face rumpled in concern, and she hurried forward to steady him. Ordinarily he would have been ashamed to show weakness in front of anyone, but this was Anna, and there was no pity in her gaze as she ducked under his shoulder and carried his weight as if he was no heavier than she was. His heart swelled with so much love for her in that moment._

" _I'm all right," he murmured, righting himself. "Thank you."_

 _She smiled. No judgement. "I know."_

 _He kissed her once, briefly, and she twined her fingers through his, leading him from the room. The stairs creaked, and before they'd even made it halfway up John heard the tell-tale hiccoughing. Lizzie was cranky._

 _Anna hovered in the background as he stepped into the room, making his way over to the crib. Lizzie was sitting in the bottom, little fists wrapped around the bars, her face red from her displeasure. As soon as she saw him she began to babble, pulling herself to her feet. At ten months old she was strong enough to stand as long as she had the support, though he was certain it wouldn't be long before she was walking on her own. She enjoyed climbing up both his and Anna's legs whenever they were still for long enough._

" _Hello, my little love," he said softly, reaching down into the crib. Lizzie stretched her arms up, wrapping them immediately around his neck when he lifted her. He turned his head a little, burying his nose against her as he breathed in the baby scent of her skin. Soon she would lose it, would begin to take on the smells of the world as she began to experience it._

" _Oh, charming," Anna commented from the door. "I've spent the best part of three hours trying to settle her and you pick her up and that's it."_

" _It's all in the touch," he teased, bouncing Lizzie just a little as she drooled onto his shoulder. She was cutting another tooth, and he winced as she started to gnaw on him._

" _I'll remember that when she starts crying in the middle of the night."_

" _And deprive me of my sleep before work?"_

"I'll _be getting more sleep."_

 _He chuckled huskily, encouraging Lizzie away from her fascination with the meat of his shoulder. "Well, I can't be too angry. At least I'll get more time with you. Won't I, darling?"_

 _That was the thing he hated most about working at Downton. Every day he slipped from the house before dawn arrived, Anna still curled on her side, sound asleep. Sometimes she rose with him, clutching at her shawl as she kissed him at the door, sleepy-eyed or rosy cheeked if they'd made love before he had to pull himself from the warm cocoon of sheets. Every night when he returned Lizzie was often long asleep, Anna sometimes with her. If she was awake she'd fix him a cup of tea, and sit coyly by while he changed for bed. Other times they would retire to bed and she would soothe away the day's aches with the silk of her body. But the lack of contact with his baby girl hurt him more than he could ever articulate. He was almost an absent father, the kind of man who took a girl for a good time then disappeared into the night. Anna always scolded him for those silly thoughts, reminding him that he needed to provide for the family, yet it did not make him feel any better. A half-day every two weeks was not enough. It might suit other men to leave the baby to the wife, but he missed missing every gummy smile (growing toothier with every week that passed), every new hair, every new achievement. They enjoyed their time as a family when he had his afternoon off; picnics by the river, walks in the park, dozing at home. But he wanted more._

 _Perhaps one day soon it would be time to revisit an old dream._

 _Anna ventured further into the room, sliding her hand along his back and smoothing the wispy hair from Lizzie's face. She gurgled happily, hiding herself against his neck once more._

" _She's certainly picked up," Anna commented dryly. "Perhaps we should switch roles. I'll dress Lord Grantham, you can stay home and be the nanny."_

" _While I certainly like the sound of staying home, I'm not sure I like the idea of you seeing Lord Grantham naked," he retorted._

 _She wrinkled her nose. "On second thoughts, perhaps you're right. It would take a braver man than me to recover from that sight."_

" _The middle aged belly is certainly a sight for sore eyes."_

" _Oh, well, if that's all I've got to worry about…" she teased, prodding him in the middle._

 _He pouted, jigging Lizzie in his arms. "Do you hear that, baby girl? Mama is making fun of me. But just you wait, when the winter comes round again, she'll be glad of the extra warmth."_

 _Anna slipped her arms around his waist, snugging him closer. Her forehead pressed into his back. Lizzie gurgled again, peering with bright-eyed interest over his shoulder from her vantage point._

" _Do you think she'll settle if I put her back now?" John asked._

" _I suppose all we can do is try. She's looking a bit too awake for my liking, but you never know. Her excitement at you being home might have worn her out."_

" _I'll try it." John gently unhooked her from around his neck, bringing her down to a lower level. "Say night night to Mama, darling. It's time for bed."_

 _Anna leaned in to kiss Lizzie's round little cheek, squeezing a pudgy little foot in her hand. "Goodnight, sweetheart."_

 _John raised her to kiss her too, then gently lowered her into the crib. As soon as her bottom touched the little mattress, the innocent smile that had been stretching her lips vanished. At once it was replaced by the scrunched up expression of a baby that was going to cry._

" _Oh God, not again," Anna sighed, massaging her temple._

 _And then, the extraordinary._

" _Dada!" Lizzie cried, pulling herself to her feet with stubborn strength. "Dada!" Once she was steady on her feet she reached her hands above her head, demanding to be picked up._

 _For long seconds, John was stupefied. He swayed, grabbing for the edge of the cot as his gaze met Anna's own wide-eyed stare._

" _Did she just…?" he began, barely able to breathe. His hands trembled on the smooth wood._

 _Anna's voice shook as she said, "She did. Oh my God. Her first word, John! She said her first word!"_

 _As if cementing her mother's words, Lizzie squawked, "Dada!"_

 _John laughed dizzily, granting his daughter's wish and sweeping her back up into his arms. All traces of fatigue were gone as he whirled her round to face Anna, who couldn't have looked more pleased if she'd been told that she was secretly the heir to a large fortune._

" _You're so clever, darling!" she cooed, and John relinquished his hold on his daughter so that she could sweep her up instead._

" _We could have a future scholar on our hands," said John, unable to tear his eyes away from Lizzie's laughing face._

" _My guess is a writer. I'm sure she's going to inherit your love of literature from the way you read to her all the time, and then she'll go on to write her own stories and be famous like Jane Austen."_

" _I hope she writes better drivel than that."_

 _Anna snorted, snuggling Lizzie more tightly. "Either way, my darling, Mama and Dada couldn't be more pleased with you."_

" _I don't think we can put her back in the crib after this," said John. "I think she should sleep with us, just for tonight."_

" _I'm not sure how successful we'd be if we left her here anyway, since she knows you cave as soon as you put her down," Anna teased, pressing another kiss to Lizzie's cheek._

" _What can I say? I have a weakness for pretty blonde girls."_

 _Anna rolled her eyes. "And this is why I'm not surprised that Dada was her first word. All this time I spend with her, bathing her and feeding her and playing with her. I carried her around for nine months, felt like a whale and moved like an elephant and ate like a pig, sweated through the sheets at night and couldn't find a single comfortable position to sleep in. And yet despite all that she lights up at the mere mention of you. You've a way with women, Mr. Bates, I'll give you that."_

" _You're not too disappointed, are you?"_

" _Only a touch jealous." She nudged his shoulder, her way of letting him know that she wasn't being serious. "I'm very happy. Master George didn't say his first word until he was almost a year old. And that was Nana."_

" _I remember. Lady Mary wasn't very pleased."_

" _It was all I heard about for three days straight."_

 _John's eyes softened. "Come on, let's go to bed. I think we could all do with the rest after this excitement."_

 _Anna carried Lizzie across the hall to their bedroom, sitting with her while John readied himself for bed. Lizzie contented herself with trying to tug at her mother's hair. John couldn't help but be amused by the way that Anna's brow furrowed as she tried to disentangle their daughter's staunch grip. When he was ready he took over, stretching out on his side of the bed and snugging Lizzie close in the middle. Anna was already in her nightgown, but she braided her hair at the vanity and then crossed the room to kiss him, a nostalgic little smile playing about her lips._

" _I'm just going to the bathroom," she murmured. "Two minutes and you can turn the lamp down."_

 _Lizzie was finally settled. She blinked up at her mother with slow, sleepy eyes. Anna kissed her too, then slipped out of the room. John trailed a finger down the little round stomach. Lizzie's legs pinwheeled for a moment, and she gurgled his name once more._

" _Right, little miss," John whispered when he heard Anna in the bathroom, "I think we're going to have to have a little chat about you saying Mama…"_

* * *

The wedding was to be a small affair. They had made friends in Scarborough over the years, but many of the people that Lizzie had grown up with had gone off to fight in the war, or to be more useful elsewhere. Now only the elders remained. Theo's family, stuck in America, had no feasible way of being there to see their son married. It was an odd sensation for John that he didn't even know what his new extended family looked like. At least Theo had proven himself to be a fine young man. That gave his old heart some relief.

"We're nearly here," said Anna quietly as she craned her neck to see out of the window. "The church looks lovely, love."

"You were the one who said spring weddings were pretty, Mum," said Lizzie.

"Well, I was speaking from experience, wasn't I? The flowers are always beautiful when they're just in bloom. We'll get a couple of wonderful pictures after the ceremony. Thank goodness the weather is holding."

The motor rolled to a stop outside the church, and Anna opened the door and slipped out, holding out her hand to steady her daughter as she unfurled too. John took longer, his old bones protesting and creaking, but he smiled proudly at his two girls as they stood by.

"I'd better go and see if they're all ready," said Anna. "Make sure Theo hasn't ducked out at the last minute."

Lizzie rolled her eyes. "He wouldn't dare."

"She gets that from you," John teased, leaning down to accept the kiss Anna's sweet mouth gave. She glared at him playfully before turning to their daughter.

"I'm so proud of you, love," she said, her voice wavering only slightly. "And I'm so happy that you found someone who loves you like Theo does. It's hard to believe that my baby girl is all grown up now. I'll miss having you at home, but I know you have to make your own way in the world."

"Steady on, Mum! I'm not moving a hundred miles away, just down the road. And I'll be around all the time to help with the hotel."

"It's not quite the same as having you in the spare room though, is it?" said John, squeezing her hand.

"I knew you'd get overly sentimental. Don't make me cry."

"No, don't," scolded Anna. "She's got her make up just nice and I won't have you ruining it for her, John Bates."

"That's me told, then," he said ruefully. "Quick, go and check everything's in order before I start wearing my heart on my sleeve like our American friend."

Lizzie shook her head. They stood on the street for several moments. Several passers by wished her well and offered their congratulations. Lizzie beamed as she thanked them all. John smiled tightly. Embarrassingly, tears burned behind his eyes. Even now, moments before it was due to happen, it was still hard to truly believe that he would have to let his little girl go. The little infant who had rolled in the mud and splashed in the puddles when it rained was the young woman who now stood before him, headstrong like her mother, and kind, and loving.

"Are you all right, Dad?" Lizzie asked, evidently noticing the expression on his face. John tried to school his features into a more stoic mask.

"I'm fine, love," he said. "Just a bit overwhelmed by it all. I always knew you'd capture hearts."

"I don't know about that. But I am happy."

"I know you are, love. And that makes me so happy too."

When Anna returned and announced that everything was ready, John offered his daughter his arm. She took it, trembling slightly, and together they walked towards her future.

* * *

" _Mummy, do you think I have everything I need?"_

 _At the sound of Lizzie's voice, John and Anna looked up. Lizzie had insisted that she was a big girl who wanted to dress herself on this very special morning, and, humouring her, Anna had agreed. She would go up in a few minutes to check on their daughter and make sure she wasn't wearing anything too outrageous, she had murmured to him under her breath, but apparently Lizzie had got herself ready in record-breaking time today. She stood in the kitchen doorway, a tiny figure dressed in a little flowered dress with mismatched stockings and a satchel almost too big thrown over her shoulder._

" _I have pencils and crayons and paper and Teddy and the sweeties Daddy bought me yesterday in case I get hungry," she explained, blinking up with huge blue eyes._

 _Anna choked on a laugh that might also have been a sob. "Sounds like you're very prepared for your first day at school, little love."_

" _So Teddy wants to go to school, eh?" said John. "That's very brave of him."_

 _Lizzie shuffled, sounding unsure for the first time. "He wants to learn about everything too and he can't do that if he stays here all day."_

 _John knew that while his daughter was putting on a brave front now, she had been very anxious about the prospect of leaving the comfort of their home for new experiences. She had inherited many of her mother's features, with the dark fuzz she'd been born with lightening to the same blonde as Anna's, but unfortunately seemed to take after him in her mannerisms. Anna often teased him that Lizzie had heard him brooding even in her stomach, and that there was little wonder that it had rubbed off on her. This had often been a source of great frustration for John; he had been disappointed in himself that the only thing he seemed to be able to pass on to his child was anxiety._

" _Oh, don't be so silly," Anna had said when she'd hooked his fears from him. "You've given her a great deal more than that. It's down to you that she loves reading and imagining whole worlds for herself. It's down to you that she's carefree and happy, because she knows she can come to you with whatever might be bothering her and you will take it all away in a flash. I know you can't help what goes on inside that head of yours, John Bates, but if I have to smack it in there myself I will make you see that Lizzie is as wonderful as she is because you work as hard to make her life a safe thing as I do."_

 _In the present he watched as Anna crouched down in front of her, fussing with the collar on her dress and the way that it sat on her shoulders. He knew that she had lain awake all night fretting about this too; usually Anna was a very heavy sleeper and didn't stir until she simply had no choice, but yesterday she had tossed and turned every few minutes. Still, it was a big thing, to see their baby girl stretching her wings._

" _You look beautiful," Anna told her, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Perhaps we should change your stockings, though? The plain ones will go very nicely with your dress."_

 _Lizzie nodded uncertainly, reaching out to take her mother's hand. Anna shot him a look over her shoulder as she led their daughter out of the room. All too soon it would be time to walk her to school._

 _Sighing, John set about tidying the kitchen while he waited for his two girls to make their reappearance. It felt good to have something to occupy his hands when his mind was so full of apprehension. The floorboards creaked above his head as one or the other crossed the room, and he stacked the pots in the sink as he stared out of the window into their modest back yard. Their cottage was attached to the back of the little hotel, offering them some privacy from their business life. How many times had he watched Lizzie playing there, digging in the soil and running bare footed through the grass? Just last year he had managed to put up a little swing with the help of James, the young lad who helped with the running of the hotel. Lizzie had spent almost every hour that she could out there, swinging herself lazily, lost in her own world, or else pleading beseechingly with him to push her higher._

 _And now here she was, old enough to go to school._

 _Clattering on the stairs alerted him to the fact that his wife and daughter were returning, and he plastered the best smile he could onto his face, unwilling to let his little girl pick up on his melancholy. Anna had done her hair up into two little bunches._

" _Well, don't you look a fine picture," he said, reaching out to scoop her up. It was getting harder with every day that passed, but he ignored the bite deep down in his knee. He needed this reassurance today, the reassurance that she would still need him when school was over, still call him 'Daddy' and demand that he read with her._

 _Lizzie was still clutching Teddy. "Mummy is just getting her coat. It's nearly time to go." There was a definite quiver in her voice._

" _You'll do fine, Lizzie, I promise," he reassured her._

" _But what if I don't like it?"_

" _Well, it's only your first day. There's a lot of things that you have to get used to. But you will have fun. You will be able to play outside with the other girls and boys, and you'll sing and learn some very interesting things."_

" _And you can teach me and Daddy all about them when you get in," Anna added. John hadn't heard her come in._

 _Lizzie didn't look convinced._

" _Come and get your coat on," said Anna gently. Lizzie clung on tighter to his neck but John planted her on the ground and gave her bottom a pat, encouraging her to go to her mother. She did so with some reluctance. Anna caught his eye. She smiled sadly as she ushered their girl into the hall. John listened to the rustling sounds of the coats for a few moments before going to join them._

 _Anna had bundled Lizzie up tight in her best coat, bought new just for this occasion. She looked far too small to be going to school. John cleared his throat to rid himself of the lump that was blocking his airway._

" _Right," he said gruffly, "let's get going, then."_

 _Lizzie held Teddy up to Anna. "Mummy, will you please hold him for me? Just until we get to school?"_

" _Of course," she replied. "But why, darling?"_

" _I only have two hands," she said matter-of-factly. "And I want to hold both of you!"_

 _The lump came back with a vengeance as she reached up and slid her little hand into his. Her whole hand barely fit into his palm, and he closed his fingers protectively around her. She did the same with Anna. Anna glanced at him again._

 _After they had locked the door and popped their head in on James to make sure that everything was running smoothly, they set off towards the local school. It was located in the centre of the town, in a secluded little square twenty minutes away from the sea front—the children were less likely to get distracted that way, the school teacher had told them as they'd looked around. Scarborough was big enough to offer more than one school, but Anna and John had liked this one the best, and thought it would give Lizzie a better start in life, a start that neither of them had had the luxury of having. Education meant prospects, Anna was fond of saying, and they both wanted their daughter to strive to be the best that she could be. Ideally she would take over their little hotel in years to come, but that didn't mean that she couldn't have a strong business head on her shoulders. Women's roles were changing slowly but surely, and they were determined that their little girl would get the same opportunities as others from more well to do families._

 _Lizzie was quiet through the entire journey, and John and Anna tried to fill the gap between them, making small talk with each other and trying to coax Lizzie into the conversation whenever they could with questions and little observations. She wasn't taking the bait. John hated to see her so despondent, but he reminded himself that it was only because she was stepping into the unknown. Once she found her feet she would be fine._

 _Since it was the first day, Anna and John took Lizzie directly to the classroom. They helped her hang up her coat and find her desk, settling her into her seat. She looked glumly at the pencils and paper set out in front of her, still clutching Teddy tight to her chest._

" _It's all right, she can keep it here with her," Miss Rutherford said quietly. "It's only natural that she feels a little out of her depth. Familiarity of home might help her. You should go now, let her get used to the idea. She'll be fine."_

" _And you'll call if there are any problems?" Anna fretted._

" _I will. But I can assure you there won't be any. Say your goodbyes quickly before she has time to get upset."_

 _Anna looked rather upset herself at the idea, but dutifully bent in to press a quick kiss to her cheek. John did the same, and together they left the classroom. Lizzie's reproachful eyes burned into him._

 _The walk back to the hotel was quiet. Anna was rather subdued. She still clutched his hand tightly, but her eyes were distant. She was back in that classroom with their baby._

" _She'll be all right," said John, to reassure himself as much as his wife. "She's a little social butterfly, she'll have lots of friends in no time at all."_

" _I know, I just can't help but worry," Anna sighed._

" _I'm worried too. But she'll come through it. And just think, we'll have plenty of spare time if we've got a quiet afternoon."_

 _Shooting him a look that promised irritation, Anna said lowly, "John, how can you think of that at a time like this!?"_

" _I was talking about paperwork!" he said hurriedly. "The peace and quiet will mean we'll be able to concentrate on the accounts better."_

" _I can read you like a book, John Bates. That is a horrible lie."_

 _She seemed on the verge of being in rather a bad mood with him, so he quickly clamped his mouth shut. While Anna's bursts of temper were rare, they were all the more fearsome when they did arrive._

 _Although, he_ was _rather hurt that the thought of making love with him didn't bring even the smallest hint of a smile to her face. It was the only silver lining he could see in this whole situation, after all._

 _The rest of the day passed painfully slowly. Anna barely spoke past the necessities, and was rather sharp with the poor young girl who helped to keep the bedrooms in pristine condition. John himself nursed his bruised ego with a pout, and took his lunch to the office on the pretence of going over the accounts._

 _When it finally rolled around to the end of Lizzie's first day at school, John could barely keep up with his wife's fast pace. She was almost running along, her skirts billowing in front of her. Gritting his teeth against the piercing pain in his knee, he hurried along a few paces behind._

 _The little schoolyard was thinning out when they arrived. John easily spotted Lizzie's bright blonde hair shimmering in the sunlight. She was with a group._

" _Elizabeth!" Anna shouted. "It's time to go home!"_

 _Lizzie turned at once at the sound. Beaming, she said her goodbyes to the other little girls and skipped towards them, Teddy streaming out behind her as she clutched at her lunchbox._

" _Mummy, Daddy!" she squealed, throwing herself at their legs. Anna swept her up at once, burying her head against her neck. John saw the muscles in her back relax at once._

" _Hello, my darling," she murmured._

" _So you liked your day?" John asked as she slipped back to the floor._

" _Yes!" Lizzie said, passing her little satchel to Anna so that she could slide her hand into his. "It was lots of fun, Daddy! I loved it a lot! We did lots of things! We drew pictures and learned our letters and Miss Rutherford started learning us about the past and I made lots of friends and they are called…"_

 _Lizzie chatted happily the entire way home. Gone was the apprehensive, frightened girl. It was a great relief to both of them. John held Teddy in his spare hand so that Lizzie could hold Anna's hand too, and she bounced along between them declaring in no uncertain terms that she couldn't wait for the next day. Anna's smile had brightened considerably at their daughter's joy, and she even flashed him a tremulous smile. John took that as a very good sign._

 _Lizzie hadn't finished filling them in on every single detail of her day even by the time dinner rolled around, and they indulged her. She sat at the table, a proper little lady, and announced that she didn't think Teddy needed to come with her tomorrow because she thought he'd been bored by the lessons._

" _But I will be all right on my own," she said proudly. "I can tell him about it when I get home."_

 _John and Anna exchanged wry grins._

" _If that's what you think, darling," said John. "I'm sure Teddy will sit on your bed patiently all day."_

 _Soon after dinner, however, Lizzie's head began to droop. The excitement of the day had clearly worn her out._

" _I'll take her up and get her settled," said Anna._

" _All right. I'll sort this mess out and just pop across to the hotel to make sure everything is fine."_

 _John pressed a kiss to Lizzie's forehead when Anna brought her over, breathing in the baby smell that he loved so dearly. It was so bittersweet to think that she wasn't really a baby anymore. She was growing up. Though she would be_ their _baby for as long as she lived._

 _The other local boy, Henry, had everything in order at the hotel, so it didn't take long for John to turn in the direction of home for the final time that night. Even then, Anna was already sitting in the sitting room, a cup of tea perched on the table beside the settee._

" _She was out like a light," she said when she saw him. "All the excitement must have worn her out."_

" _At least she'll sleep tonight."_

" _And so will you. Don't think I didn't notice you tossing and turning, Mr. Bates."_

" _And how would you know that if you weren't tossing and turning yourself?"_

 _Anna blushed, and started to giggle. The sound made John smile too, and any lingering awkwardness faded away. She snuggled against his side when he lowered himself onto the settee, and passed him the cup of tea that she had obviously made in apology._

" _I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to be short with you."_

" _It's all right. I understand. You were bound to be worried."_

" _It's hard to see her growing up. This time is passing too quickly."_

" _I know," John sighed. "But you can't escape the inevitable. All we can do is make the most of it. Lizzie will still need us tomorrow, and next week, and five years from now. Let's live in the present as much as we can."_

" _And when did you get so wise?" she teased._

" _When I married you," he replied, looping his arm around her shoulder so he could pull her closer to kiss her temple._

" _Nice way of redeeming yourself, Mr. Bates," she said, moving in to peck at his lips. "Now come on, drink up. An early night, I think."_

 _Heat simmered lazily in his veins at the look in her eyes, and he promptly downed the cup, setting it back on the table to be dealt with in the morning. She stretched up and offered him her hand, which he took gladly. He took her into the circle of his arms for a brief moment, breathing in the scent of her hair, relishing her solidity against him._

" _Perhaps we should start trying very hard for another baby," he whispered into her hair._

 _Anna snorted. "What, after all these years?"_

" _Well, Lizzie would love to have a little brother or sister. And another baby would give us a second chance at doing this all over again."_

" _What happened to living in the present?"_

" _Well, it doesn't mean we can't hope for the future, does it?" he answered, and let her lead him to bed._

 _Lizzie continued to flourish at school. And, every so often when there was a lull in the day, Anna and John sneaked back to their cottage and made full use of having the house to themselves for the afternoon._

 _They never were successful in adding to their brood, but it didn't make them any less joyful with how their lives had been blessed._

* * *

The sound of the organ playing the wedding march reverberated in his head as Lizzie slipped her arm into his and took a deep breath to ready herself for her huge moment in the spotlight.

"Are you ready, love?" he asked.

"I'm ready, Dad."

He gave her one last smile before he began to lead her down the aisle.

Everyone was standing there, watching as they came down the aisle together. A few of the women dabbed at their eyes with handkerchiefs, while the others beamed. John barely took any notice of them. His focus was entirely on one woman, who stood in the front pew with tears shining in her own eyes, looking resplendent in her pretty lavender dress. His beautiful, beautiful Anna. Theo stood in front of the altar, a bright, albeit nervous, smile on his face. John was pleased to see that he couldn't take his eyes off Lizzie, either.

At last the wedding march rang to an end, and John let Lizzie go so she could take her place beside her future husband. She turned and pressed a kiss to his cheek before doing so, and the little patch of skin tingled as he slipped into the pew beside Anna. The reverend bid them all sit down, and Anna took his hand at once, sidling as close to his side as she could get. He turned to smile at her, and she bumped her shoulder against him gently.

"I love you," she mouthed. He squeezed her hand in return, and together they turned their attention to what was both the proudest and most difficult moment of his life.

* * *

" _Mum, Dad, where are you?"_

" _In the office, love," Anna called. John winced; she was at his shoulder, poring over the account book with him._

" _No wonder I'm going deaf," he grumbled affectionately, and she draped her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek. He felt her smile against his skin and shivered._

 _The moment was soon shattered as Lizzie burst in through the office door. Her pale cheeks were bright red, no doubt from her exuberant run home, judging from the way that she was trying to catch her breath. Anna released him, moving around the desk to take the satchel from her fist._

" _What's wrong?" she asked as she hung it up behind the office door._

 _Lizzie's eyes were shining. "It's the Summer Dance! It's finally been organised!"_

 _John leaned back in his seat, grinning. "Oh dear. Does this mean we're to be subjected to another three weeks of hearing about every single detail?"_

 _Lizzie wrinkled her nose, displeased. "Dad, you know it's my favourite event of the year! All the dancing and the singing and the little games…!"_

 _It certainly was a highlight in the Scarborough calendar. The Summer Dance was always organised in celebration of the little resort opening up to visitors once more, and they were always a roaring success. Almost the entire town turned out for a full day of entertainment. John still had firm memories of their very first dance, where he had watched from the side lines, heart almost bursting, as Anna jigged Lizzie in her arms amidst the crowd of revellers, laughing freely as his baby daughter had squealed and kicked out her little legs._

" _Well, I'm pleased for you, Lizzie. Truly." John was ready to turn back to his work, but the little frown on Anna's face caught his attention._

" _Is there something else you want to add?" she asked._

 _Lizzie looked sheepish._

" _Well," she admitted, "there was one more thing…"_

" _Yes?" Anna cocked her eyebrow._

 _Lizzie took a deep breath, before ploughing out in a rush, "Harry Simons asked me to attend with him."_

 _John dropped his pen. Ink exploded from the tip, blotting the numbers he had carefully been reviewing. "_ What _?"_

 _His daughter had gone bright red, but she was standing her ground. "Harry Simons, from school. He asked me if I'd like to go. It's the last one we'll be attending as pupils at the school."_

" _No," John said sharply. "Absolutely not."_

 _Now it was Lizzie's turn to stare, nonplussed. "What do you mean, no?"_

" _You are not going to the summer dance with some boy," John growled. "You're fourteen years old. That's far too young to be thinking about that kind of thing."_

" _John—" Anna said warningly, but Lizzie overrode her._

" _I've already told him yes, Dad!" she said heatedly. "I'm not a baby anymore! You can't stop me from doing what I want!"_

" _I can when you're still living under this roof, young lady!" John retorted, feeling his temper rising. "You are not to go gallivanting around with someone like Harry Simons!"_

" _How can you stop me? You can't lock me up, and you couldn't run after me!"_

" _Elizabeth, John! That's enough, the both of you!" Anna snapped. "Elizabeth, we'll talk about this later. Go to your room. Now."_

 _Lizzie scowled, but having heard her given name twice in such a small space of time, evidently thought better of arguing further. She unhooked her satchel with more force than was necessary, and banged the office door on the way out. It reverberated on its hinges. John could hear her stomping away. He pinched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to shout her back and give her a stern talking to about her manners._

" _Was there any need for that reaction?" Anna said reprovingly._

 _John blinked. "_ Me _? Did you not hear the way she was speaking to me?"_

" _I thought you rather deserved it, flying off the handle like that. Although I will have a word with her some of the things she said."_

" _How can you say that? Our daughter wants to go prancing around with some young lothario with no prospects, and you're perfectly all right with that?"_

" _Don't exaggerate. He's hardly a young lothario."_

" _I saw him in town not two months ago with Bobby Baker's youngest daughter. And there was Harold Cook's before that."_

" _Men will be men," intoned Anna. "Isn't that what everyone says?"_

" _Yes, well, not when it comes to my daughter," John scowled. "She can do much better than someone like him."_

" _It sounds like she doesn't want to do better than him," Anna told him gently. "At least not right now."_

" _Why are you condoning this!?"_

" _I can't say I am happy," she admitted. "But she is her own person. We can't force her to do anything. How would that make things better? It would only push her further towards him. She's just a girl, John. He's not the most appropriate boy for her, and she likes that. It's how women work."_

" _I suppose that makes sense," he muttered. "Is that why you chose me? Because you shouldn't have? Because you could have done better, and still could now?"_

" _Don't sulk," she admonished. "There's no need to be silly, just because things aren't going your way right now. People might not have thought we were right for each other at the beginning, but I don't think anyone would dispute that now. I was thinking more about my sister, actually."_

" _Your sister?" Now John was surprised; Anna rarely mentioned her family, especially since she had revealed the truth about her stepfather all those years ago._

" _Yes. She would sneak out of the house whenever she could and she'd meet the local heartbreaker out in the lane. His name was Stanley Johnson, and he was the object of nearly every girl's affection. I used to watch her from our bedroom window as she disappeared down the lane with him. A part of me was envious that she could have that and I couldn't." Her face had clouded over, gone dark and stormy with the weight of her memories._

 _Feeling ashamed, he reached out a hand and touched her gently. She seemed to come back to herself, giving her head a little shake._

" _I'm sorry," he offered softly._

" _It's not your fault. We've both been sorry enough. But don't you see what I'm saying? It's harmless. They're just children. I'm sure_ _ **you**_ _had a girl in mind at that age."_

" _We grew up in different times," John reminded her. "There was no such thing as a girl being unchaperoned at that age, even working class girls." Although, admittedly, Vera hadn't been that much older than Lizzie when he had first met her. And, admittedly, he hadn't waited until marriage to take Vera to bed. Perhaps he was being a tad hypocritical. Then again, this was different. This was his_ daughter _._

" _We live in a modern world now," said Anna sagely, moving back behind him to continue peering at the figures in the book. "There's no point resisting the times."_

" _Doesn't mean I have to like it," he muttered. He paused for a moment before sighing. "All right. I'll trust you in this. If there's anything I've learned it's that you're wiser than me. But if I so much as see Harry Simons_ thinking _about doing more than just holding our Lizzie's hand then I make no promise that I won't beat him with my cane…"_

 _He felt Anna's smile against his neck as she buried her face there, breathing deeply._

" _I would expect no less, my love," she murmured._

* * *

The reception was a small affair back at the local pub, consisting of the closest of Lizzie's friends and her parents. John sat at one of the tables, his leg stretched out awkwardly in front of him. It was beginning to pain him more and more, much to both his terror and his chagrin. He had started to take a more managerial role in the last year, leaving Anna and Lizzie to deal with more of the manual side of things. Anna frequently told him that she was glad that he was finally taking care of himself, but he felt unmanned by it all. He felt it worse today.

As if sensing his thoughts, Anna nudged her shoulder against his. She was nursing a cider, the one indulgence she ever allowed herself, watching as Lizzie and Theo laughed in the middle of the gathering. Husband and wife were holding hands, standing as close as socially acceptable.

"I know what's going on inside that head of yours," she said. "Stop it."

He managed a half-smile, taking her hand beneath the line of the table. "So now you can read my thoughts?"

"I've been doing it for years. You're brooding."

"I can't break the habit of a lifetime," he said, bringing his glass of water to his lips.

"So what's bothering you?"

Anna was always like a dog with a bone when she thought something was wrong. He had loved it and hated it at different points in their twenty six years of marriage. Right now it was a bittersweet mix. "I'm feeling old."

"I don't like you talking like that," she admonished him. "Besides, I'm getting old too."

He snorted, looking down at her. As expected, there were a few more lines on her face than there had been when they had first met, and her hair was beginning to streak through with silver, but her eyes were still as bright and youthful as they had been on the day they had met, and he would maintain to his dying day that there was no sight on earth more lovely than her. "I _wish_ I was as old as you, darling."

"Well, you're still handsome to me," she told him.

"Mum, Dad."

At the sound of Lizzie's voice, they looked up. She was standing in front of them, cheeks glowing and eyes bright. Theo was still mingling with the others, clutching a celebratory flagon of beer. She took the seat opposite them, careful of her dress.

"We're going to slip off soon," she said. "We want a little bit of time to ourselves before we head off on honeymoon."

War put everything on an accelerated timeline. Since the month that he had spent in Scarborough, Theo had written to Lizzie as often as possible from the front. It had been almost another year before Theo was allowed back to England for a short three day break, and the wedding and honeymoon had been scheduled around it. Months before, he had written to John asking for permission for his daughter's hand in marriage, and John had granted it, knowing that Theo was steadfast, gentle, and, above all, treated Lizzie with the utmost love and respect. He might have felt a little uncomfortable watching the romance blossoming between the two of them during that month, but he was no fool. Theodore Elliott loved Elizabeth Bates, and he was not going to stand in the way of that.

"All right, love," said Anna gently. "Have a nice time. We'll see you when you get back."

Lizzie nodded. There were tears in her eyes. Standing, she motioned for her parents to follow suit, throwing her arms around the both of them. They kissed her hair and cheeks, brushing away the tears that fell. They were tears of happiness, that was one thing to be glad of.

"I love you, Mum, Dad," Lizzie murmured into his chest.

"We love you too, Elizabeth," Anna replied, thankfully sensing that he was having difficulty speaking. "Come on, I'll walk you to the door."

Lizzie nodded, sliding out of their embrace. John watched as they crossed the room together, so very alike. He could see Anna having some gentle words, no doubt words of encouragement for the night to come. Lizzie embraced her again. Theo sidled over, slipping his hand into hers, and shared a laugh with Anna. John took it as his cue to approach too, wrapping his own hand around his wife's.

"You take care of her now," he told Theo, with only the slightest hint of a warning in his voice. The young man nodded solemnly.

"I will, sir," he said, holding his hand out. John took it and shook it firmly.

"Take care of yourself at the front too," he said. "We'll see you soon."

"Thank you. Goodbye, Mrs. Bates," said Theo, turning his attention left.

"Anna," she reminded him gently. "Goodbye, Theo. Enjoy these couple of days."

"I'm sure we will," Lizzie commented lightly. "I'll be round as soon as I'm back."

With a final round of kisses, the newly married couple departed, leaving John and Anna standing at the door. Their little bird had flown the nest, was spreading her wings and soaring. With Anna snuggled up against his side, John couldn't help but feel blessed.

* * *

 _It was a quiet morning. The Wallaces had already left and Anna was off in the dining room, helping Lucy to clear the tables. Only one lone party was booked in to arrive, and that wasn't until later in the afternoon. John was spending his morning behind the little desk in the lobby, since they had given James the day off to spend with his family. If there were ever any real customer complaints or queries then James would come and find either him or Anna immediately, but by having him behind the desk it meant that both he and Anna were free to pursue other tasks throughout the day._

" _Expenditures are all right, Dad," Lizzie announced, appearing at the office door._

" _That's fantastic, love."_

 _She slipped into the seat beside him, ticking off a list on her fingers. "We need to visit the Barkleys' at some point. Mrs. Field has sent up a list of supplies that are getting low."_

" _Your mother and I will do that this afternoon."_

 _Lizzie beamed at the implication that she would be left in charge. At nineteen, she had blossomed into quite the business woman. She had been involved right from being little, work and home jumbling together. John could still remember the way that she would sit as a toddler on the floor, banging brightly coloured building blocks together while he tried to puzzle over the latest figures. He could still remember Anna trying to change the linens on the guest beds only to be hindered by their daughter rolling in the sheets._

 _When she was older, Lizzie had taken an active interest in being involved, which had pleased him immensely. She enjoyed helping her mother air the rooms and interacting with the guests. Her schooling had left her with a very good head for numbers, and John had tutored her in the art of the books. Neither he nor Anna had wanted to limit her prospects when she was such an intelligent young woman, but Lizzie had declared that she wanted to carry on the family business, that there was no career out there that she wanted more than this. Deep down, it pleased him immensely that their little legacy would remain in the family for at least another generation._

" _What will you and I do this afternoon?"_

 _John turned to find Anna standing in the threshold of the dining room. She had her frilly white apron on over her simple housekeeping dress, a pretty powder blue thing. She had categorically stated that she would not wear another drab black dress while she was her own boss, and she had stuck to her guns. Blue was particularly becoming on her, especially coupled with the flush in her cheeks. Noticing the way that he was looking at her, Anna rolled her eyes and repeated her question._

" _Mrs. Field has sent her order through, Mum," Lizzie informed her. "Dad said you'd go and pick up the things. I can wait here for Mr. Elliott's arrival."_

" _Very well. We'll go soon. I have to finish preparing the room upstairs first."_

" _I'll give you a hand," said John quickly. "Lizzie can manage here."_

 _He followed her out of the room, and they worked together on the room, making the beds, arranging the personal touches. It was just like old times, when he had occasionally slipped into the bedrooms at Downton to give her a hand. Those days had been charged with things left unsaid, feelings that hung over both of their heads that couldn't be voiced. Nowadays it was different, but no less wonderful. In fact, it was more so, because they could exchange sweet kisses over the mattress, laugh joyfully as they arranged the flowers._

 _Afterwards, they popped their heads in on Lizzie. She assured them that she was doing fine, and that the only problem she'd had was a request for more towels from the Wickes family. Satisfied that she would be fine on her own for a while longer, they strolled arm in arm into the village. The war had had an effect on the food supplies, and the queue for the rations was winding down the street. Anna tapped the book impatiently against her thigh._

" _I hope we have an easier time getting sugar this week," she said. "They didn't distribute it well at all, and how are we supposed to supply decent food without sugar?"_

" _Just because you have a sweet tooth," John teased her gently. She tried to scowl at him before breaking out into a grin, squeezing his hand._

 _The line trickled slowly, and it was getting on for tea time when they finally returned to the hotel. John sighed in relief, rubbing his knee ruefully. All that standing in one position had stiffened the muscles. Anna would insist that he have a hot bath, and that she would rub some of the new salve he was trying into the joint afterwards. He supposed it was something to look forward to, even if it did make him feel like an old invalid now._

 _He stopped short as he came in through the front entrance to their hotel._

" _What the…?" he muttered._

" _Bleedin' hell, John," came Anna's voice from behind him. He turned; he hadn't even realised that she'd barrelled straight into his back. "I almost lost the basket, then! What on earth is the matter?"_

 _He couldn't quite find the words, so he motioned the disturbing scene in front of him._

 _Lizzie was leaning coyly against the front desk, playing with a curl of hair that had fallen loose from its bun. She was laughing, her eyes brighter than he'd ever seen them._

 _She was conversing with a smartly dressed young man, who stood clutching at a large suitcase._

 _John heard Anna's breath catch in her throat, the instinct of a mother knowing exactly what was going on._

 _But even he wasn't oblivious. Lizzie was_ flirting _._

 _Clearing his throat, he took a decisive step into the room. At the sound of his cane clicking against the tiles, Lizzie's whole demeanour changed. Pushing off from the edge of the desk she straightened her stance, her stoic professionalism flowing back into place like water._

" _Mum, Dad," she said demurely, motioning to the young man standing beside her. "This is Mr. Elliott."_

" _How do you do, Mr. Elliott?" said Anna, offering him her hand and a friendly smile. John offered his hand too, but he did not speak, narrowing his eyes as he scrutinised the fellow. He was young, twenty three or twenty four, and very handsome at that, with hair that curled just boyishly and dark brown eyes that no doubt set girls everywhere to swooning._

" _How do, Mr. and Mrs. Bates," he replied with an easy smile that showed even, white teeth. His accent was thick. American. Now that he hadn't been expecting. What on earth brought a young American boy to the Yorkshire coast?_

 _Anna took the reins in that effortless way she had, bundling the basket off to him and unhooking her coat. "I hope your journey was pleasant?"_

" _It certainly was, Mrs. Bates."_

" _Mr. Elliott has come from London," Lizzie supplied._

" _I've got four weeks' leave from the army before I head back to the front," Mr. Elliott added._

" _I've found that the seaside can be a wonderful place to come and recuperate," said Anna. "Scarborough's been a bit quiet lately, but I don't suppose that will matter much to you."_

" _The quiet's what I'm after."_

" _Then you'll enjoy it well enough. Shall I show you to your room?"_

" _I can do that," Lizzie said quickly. "If you'd like to follow me, Mr. Elliott?"_

" _It would be my pleasure, Miss Bates," he said cheerfully, picking up his suitcase, and John watched as he followed his daughter up the stairs._

" _You're scowling, Mr. Bates," Anna murmured. She sounded as if she was on the verge of laughing._

 _Pouting, he said, "I'm not sure about him."_

" _You're unsure of any young man who comes around."_

" _At least we knew a bit about the others. This boy is a complete stranger."_

" _There's nothing wrong with a handsome stranger, Mr. Bates. You ought to know, you were one once. And now look where we are."_

" _Mark my words, Anna, that boy will bring trouble."_

" _And mark mine," she returned, dragging him towards the office, "he'll turn out to be a very polite and cordial visitor. Now come on, let's get you out of sight before your sour face puts the guests off completely."_

* * *

It was a relief to be home.

John reclined on the settee, his right leg propped up on the footstool they kept handy. Anna was somewhere in the kitchen, pottering. They had decided to take the whole day off, leaving the others in charge just this once, and it was a welcome relief to be behind closed doors.

"Here we are, a nice cup of strong, sweet tea," Anna announced, bringing the tray into the room. She set it down on the nearby table and pushed the cup into his hands, a shortbread balanced on the side of the plate. He smiled, touched. Anna had once told him that she'd always been given strong, sweet tea after a sad or shocking event. He supposed now was as good a reason as any for it. Downing it in one, he passed it back to her and she replaced it on the tray. With a sigh she lowered herself to the settee beside him, resting her head on his shoulder and curling her body up like a cat's. John lifted his arm and wrapped it around her, pressing his lips to her hair as she relaxed.

"That's that, then," she murmured. "It's a pity they can't have a proper honeymoon together, but a weekend is better than nothing."

John would rather not think about honeymoons—especially not his daughter's. So he reached for her hand, twisting her wedding ring idly.

"It's going to be quiet from now on," he said.

"Hardly," said Anna gently. "She'll be round as usual next week. We're lucky that Theo wants to stay here too. He's a good lad. He'll be a good addition to the running of this place."

"You're right," he agreed. And she was. During his time in England, before the war, Theo had had experience of being a waiter at a blossoming, glamourous hotel. He had some idea of how a business worked, and how to deal with customers. The fact that he didn't want to uproot Lizzie to a busy London life was perfect. Even so, John was used to his daughter always being around. He knew that once the honeymoon was over and Theo went back to active service she would be around every day, but it was difficult to think about her set apart in a home of her own. When the war was over Theo would be integrated into the business too, and that would change the dynamics entirely.

As if reading his thoughts, Anna said, "It might be nice to have a little more time to ourselves soon. I love our business, but it will be nice to spend some time away from it, just the two of us."

"I suppose you're right."

"Enough mourning, John," Anna said tenderly, brushing the hair from his face. "You ought to know better than anyone that time moves on, and we haven't lost anything. We've gained a wonderful son-in-law."

"What would I do without your optimism?" he murmured, bowing gracefully to defeat. She shot him that stunning smile, the one that brightened her whole face.

"God only knows. Now come here. It's been a happy day. Let's end it on a happy note."

And with that she drew him closer, giving him a lingering, chaste kiss. He snugged her closer, settling his cheek against the crown of her head when she pulled away.

* * *

A year later, John met his first grandchild for the first time. And while the family name would die with Anna, he couldn't stop the tears that welled up at his immortality.

John Theodore Elliott blinked up at him with large blue eyes, and he would live on through his namesake.


End file.
